I'm protestant, live just outside Belfast and love supporting Northern Ireland. Personally though, I think an 'all-Ireland' team would be an amazing benefit for the country in the long run. Once the hoods' cries of anguish died down we'd see a situation were everyone is on the same side, just like ruggers.
On another issue and not to open up a can of worms it would stop players bouncing between countries, see Alex Bruce (ROI to NI) and the laundry list of players going the opposite way. Should be based on where you were born and which body spent the money to develop you as a player.
Lastly I attended the game on Wednesday night and McCourt was excellent, the only player on the pitch with a bit of class. There were some fucking morons chanting sectarian nonesense but as the events in London have shown us, troglodytes will be troglodytes. I think it's a bit naive of others (Ant) to think that the scumbags are only protestant and that catholic folk are nothing but victims, both as bad as each other imo.

I honestly think you're missing the point entirely Ant.
The professional issue lies in the training and speaking as a registered IFA coach I can vouch for the hard work that goes into the development of players within Northern Ireland. As far as I'm aware there's no issue of religion when bringing up players in our youth system and when you've poured money, resources and time into improving such players it's a bit of a slap in the face when they go and play for someone else.
I would have no problem whatsoever if a player like that was born and raised in Northern Ireland and then played for the South, as you rightly point out it's their legal right. Just don't do it after coming through anothers youth system. Any other country in the world would resent such a decision from a player.

Surely an 'offer' is the equivalent of a 'bid'.
On Adriano, I watched him for one of his last games for Inter against Ajax. He was without a doubt the laziest player I've ever seen, must've covered about 30 feet all game and had one half hearted shot on goal when the ball was placed in front of his foot. Mind you it went in so take from that what you will.

Surely the Nessy 'mystery' has been sussed.
At least it would exaplain why there were many sightings in the past when the circus folk used to let their elephants swim in the loch, but none now.
On a related note, the only unexplained experience was when my grandmother died.
My grandfather and father were alone in the house after she had passed away, and about an hour had passed when my father noticed one of the clocks in the house, it's battery was apparently dry. They checked the rest of the clocks and they all had stopped at the precisely the same time, the minute she had died.
My dad would be very much the cynic in matters like these but even he can't explain his feelings on this.

I don't get it, is it that I felt the need to add that in for fear of reprisal or abuse?
Or that it has genuinely been posted before.
I've seen you people at work, y'all are jackals, i was trying not to get caught up in the frenzy.

They're invaluable when it comes to storing media, I have about 150 GB of video on it including movies and dvd boxsets etc. I rarely even use DVDs anymore as a result. Worth 200 ish, the original price was pretty excessive even for all that it does.

Have to say I agree with Ant, Oxegen used to be something that resembled a rock festival. I went in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and each year the headliner was always someone who commanded respect and revery from every punter even the plebs who just went to get blattered on white lightning in a public arena. Foo Fighters, RATM, James Brown, Green Day (even though I'm not a huge fan I appreciated them being there). These groups meant that not only would there be some percentage of semi-intelligent music lovers but I was excited about goinG. Including two rappers really just transforms it even more into a 'pop' festival, yeah there will be genuine rap fans who go to the festival to see them but odds are on that your average ticket holder will be a pleb who wants to see 'the bloke out of 8 mile'.
I stopped going after 2007 when I noticed the decline of proper acts in favour of 'popular' people, clearly they've just shifted their demographic to your average pop fan. I don't mind if things are popular but unfortunately it tends to mean the likes of Lilly Allen and Lady Gaga end up playing.
So Eminem, whom I must admit could jump in front of my car and I'd fail to care about him, is an unwelcome addition as a headliner.
Who else?
Muse - same old, they're an excellent band and superb live but I think this is their 2nd or 3rd year in a row.
Kasabian are average among under average British groups so they headline, why not bring in an american rock icon instead?
Sad times indeed.